Control apparatus.



A. .l. HALL.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1. 191a.

Patented June 12, 1917.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET L.

WITNESSES INVENTOR r H A ,4 7% [H ATTORNEY A. J. HALL.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I, I916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

41 H R MC F192,

INVENTOR Arthur J. Hall.

WITNESSES:

Patentml J 11119 12, 1917.

s rarnerr ARTHUR 3'. HAIlJL, F WILKINSBURG, BENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING GOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

ea ers.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1217.

Application filed February 7, 1916. Serial No. (6,599.

- subject of the King of Great Britain, and

a resident of 'Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Control Apparatus, of-which the following is a specification.

My invention. relates to control apparatus and especially to operating mechanisms for motor-controlling devices and the like.-

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus'of the above-indicated character which shall be relatively simple in construction'and effective and reliable in operation, and whereby a movable member, such as a part of a switching device, may receive a predetermined initial movement that is more rapid than the remainder of the operation.

More specifically stated, it is the object of my invention to provide a fluid-pressureoperated mechanism that isnormally biased by unbalanced pressure conditions to a predetermined position and that embodies means for reversing the unbalanced action to. ei'lect normal movement of the movable member, andalso means .for permitting a relatively rapid independent movement ofthe member before the completion of the reversal just mentioned, thereby eliminating a time element which is more or less-inherent in the type of apparatus under consideration.

My inventionmay best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a control apparatus of the liquid rheostat type that embodies my invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the auxiliary govcrninn' circuits for mani ulatin the o crating mechanism that is shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a control system embodying another application of my invention; and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the auxiliary circuits for govern ing the control system that is shown in Fig. 3..

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the structure shown comprises, in general, a liquid-rheostat apparatus LR and an operating mechanism QM therefor.

The liquid rheostat may be. of any familiar type and is here illustrated as comprising a plurality of suitable tanks or vessels 1 and 2 for containing electrolyte durmg the acceleration of the motors (not shown) that are to be governed; a plurality of sets of electrodes or plates 3 and 4- for the respective tanks 1 and 2; a common reservoir or discharge tank 5; a plurality of suitable inlet passages or pipes 6 and 6 for the respective tanks 1 and 2; a discharge passage or pipe 7 for the reservoir 5 and a plurality of suitable regulating values 8 and 9 for adjusting the height of the electrolyte in the tanks 1 and 2, respectively. Inasmuch as the particular type of motor-controlling device is immaterial to my present invention, except in so for as it performs a necessary function in connection therewith, I do not deem it necessary to describe in further detail the liquid rheostat LR. However, for a more extended description of the vided with suitable operating rods 10 and '11 that extend upwardly through the tanks 1 and 2 and are respectively pivotally associated with horizontally-disposed arms 12 and 13, which are directly associated with the operating mechanism OM in a manner to be described. It will be understood that by the upward movement of the arms 12 and 13, and, consequently, of the regulating valves 8 and 9, the level of the electrolyte in the respective tanks 1 and 2 is gradually raised, in accordance with a familiar tice, to effect motor acceleration.

The operating mechanism OM comprises a suitable cylinder 20 within which a pair of pistons 21 and 22 are adapted to travel; and. a plurality of pairs of governing valves, on-l and on2, and off-1 and oii'2, that are located near the respective ends of the cylinder. A suitable stop member or barrier 21 is disposed at a predetermined point in the cylinder 20 to engage the inner surface of the piston 21 and prevent further movement thereof in one direction, for a purpose to be set forth later. A rod or stem 23 is secured to the inner side of the piston 21 and is provided with an end portion 24 of a reduced diameter, for a reason that is explained below.

The other piston-22 is provided with a similar rod. or stem 25 that is secured to the pracinner face thereof, and a sleeve member 26 has one end expanded to form a suitable backing portion 27 for the, piston 22, and extends upwardly within the cylinder 20, rigidly inclosing the piston rod 25 and loosely surrounding the lower portion of the piston rod 23. One end of a suitable helical spring member 28 incloses the reduced endportion 2 lof the piston rod 23, while the other end of the spring 28 rests upon the inner end of the piston. rod 25, whereby normally the spring 28 constitutes the only mechanical. connection between the piston rods 23 and 25. The distance between the sleeve 26 and the piston 21 corresponds to the distance that the valve members 8 and 9 have to be actuated to raise the electrolyte in the tanks 1 and 2 from the completely discharged level to the flush-level wherein the tips of theelectrodes 3 and 4: are iust immersed.

The sleeve member 26 is provided with a pair of recessed side lugs or projections 29 and Zidwithin which the ends of operating arms 12 and 13 of: the valves 8 and 9 are respectively rigidly mounted Each of the on valves comprises a suitable actuating coil and a valve member 36 which is suitably biased. to a position that normally excludes the access of fluid-pres sure from a supply-pipe or passage 3'? to the lower end of the cylinder 20: When the actuating coils 35 are energized, fluid-pres sure is admitted beneath the piston 22 to effect a movement thereof that is described later I On the other hand, each, of theoi? valves comprises a suitable actuating coil 38 and a valve member 39 which is normally biased to an open position,-whereby' iiuid-= pressure is admitted from a suitable source through a pipe or passage 40 to the upper end of the cylinder 20. When the oil valves have their actuating coils 38 energized, communication between the source of fluid pressure and the'upper end of the cylinder 20 is interrupted and fluid pressure zation of the on and the off ii t described in connection with Fig. 2, fluid pressure is first admitted. to the lower end of the cylinder 20 beneath the piston. 22', which is innnediately actuated upwardly masses against the relatively weak opposition of the spring 28, until the sleeve 26 strikes the.

piston 21, thereby permitting the relatively rapid rise of the electrolyte level in the tanks 1 and 2 to the positions marked Flush-level, since the distance between the sleeve and the piston and between the discharge level and flush-level of the rheostats correspond to each other, as previously mentioned. Provided thefluid-pressure has by this time been sufficiently reduced in the upper end of the cylinder 20 by the communication thereof with the atmosphere upon the closure of the oil valves, then the unbalanced 'fiuid-pressure conditions, which it will be noted are reversed from the normal unbalanced conditions, will operate to efl'ect the further upward movement of the piston rods 23 and 25 and the associated valve-actuating members to all practical intents and purposes as though the pistons 21 and 22 were rigidly connected Such upward movement of the valves 8 and 9 may be controlled in the manner that is about to be set forth in connection with the governing system of Fig 2.

Vi hen. both the on and the oil valveactuating coils are simultaneously deenergized, unbalanced-pressure conditions revert to the original. state, whereby fluid-pressure is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder 20 and is exhausted from the lower end thereof. Consequently, the pistons 21 and '22 ii5 0ili3i1flil6 to act as a unitary member until the-piston 21 engages the stop member 21,

whereupon the remainder of the downward movement of the valve-actuating mechanism 1s attested by the action of the spring 28,

which forces the piston 22 and the associated operating members to the position that is shown, in the drawing lit will he observed that I have thus provided a movable member and fluid-pressure operating means therefor that is normally biased to a predetermined position, and which comprises an operating cylinder, a plurality of pistons traveling therein and a resilient lost-motion connection that is dis-- posed intermediate the pistons and thus permits a relatively rapid movement of the valve-actuating mechanism to a predeier mined point, In other words, thenormally unbalanced fluid-pressure conditions in the cylinder 20 are reversed to effect normal upward movement of the valves 8 and 9, and

the lost-motion connection permits an initial accentuation of the reversed unbalancedpressure conditions with respect to the piston 22, and a rapid movement thereofthat is independent of the piston 21 is eii'ected.

The advantages of the above described structure over the prior art may be set forth as follows: In the former operating mechanisms that employ a permanent rigid con nection between the pistons, for example, as

lie

illustrated in a co-pending application of N. W. Storer and A. J. Hall, Serial No. 724,063, filed Oct. 5, 1912, and assigned to the lVestinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, a certain time element must elapse before fluid-pressure canbe exhausted from one end of the cylinder and thus permit the operation of the pistons by reason of the simultaneous admission of fluid pressure to the other end of the cylinder. Such a time element is undesirable, and various ways of obviating the ditliculty have been proposed and which, in general, perform a similar function to that of the apparatus hereinbefore described.

Another advantage over systems heretofore proposed resides in the fact that es pccially when structures of the type in question have been applied to operate drum con trollers through the agency of a rack and pinion connection as is set forth in connection with Fig. 3, it has been necessary to normally dispose the controller drums in their initial operative position, in order that operation of the motors may be effected immediately upon the closure of certain switches and without being delayed by the undesirable time element feature that is mentioned above. On the other hand, if suchcontrol drums were placed in their normal oft position, the cost of supplying some device of the prior art to obviate such time elementswould be too expensive; but the economy that is eflected by eliminating such time-element-obviating structures is partially offset by the fact that since the control drums occupy their initial operative position, if a supply-circuit-connecting switch should fail to open, then no secondary break in the circuit can be obtained on the drum controller, as is the case when the controllers are returned to their off position. Consequently, in order to be perfectly safe under such prior art conditions, it has been necessary to supply an additional supply-circuit-connecting switch, so that two breaks in series are provided.

In accordance with my present invention, only a single supply-circuit connecting switch is necessary, since a" secondary break in the circuit is supplied by the drum controller itself in the ofl position and the relatively low cost of'mytime-element-ob:

viating device renders its use economical and commercially feasible.

Referring to Fig. 2, the auxiliary governing system shown comprises the actuating coils 35 and 38 of the on and off valves, respectively; a suitable master controller MC having a plurality of operative positions L. H, R, standing for lower, hold and raise, respectively; a suitable source of energy, such as a battery B, for the actuating coils, and a plurality. of traine conductors TL of a familiar type for permitting the use of my invention in connection with the multiple-unit operation of a plurality of cars.

Assuming that it is desired to effect acceleration of the motors (not shown) that are to be governed, the master controller MC may be moved to its final operating position R, whereby one circuit is completed from one terminal of the battery B through conductor 41, control finger 42, contact segment 43 and control finger 44 of the master controller, conductor 45, train-line conductor 46, conductor 47, the parallel-related actuating coils 35 of the on valves, conductor 48, train-line conductor 49 and conductor 50 to the negative battery terminal.

A further circuit is simultaneously completed from the contact segment 43 through control finger 51, conductor 52, train-line conductor 53, conductor 54, the parallel-connected actuating coils 38 of the ofi' valves, and conductors 55 and 56 to the negative conductor 50. I

Since both the on and the ofi valveactuating coils are simultaneously energized, the operating mechanism OM is actuated upwardly to gradually raise the level of the electrolyte in the respective tanks 1 and 2, in the manner hereinbefore mentioned; namely, a relatively rapid movement of the electrolyte to flush-level and then a more gradual elevation of the liquid level.

On the other hand, if it is desired to hold the electrolyte at flush-level, the master controller MC may be initially moved to its second position H, whereby only the actuating coils 35 of the on valves are energized. Consequently, the valveactuating mechanism is immediately moved to the position wherein the sleeve 26 engages the piston 21, when balanced-pressure conditions. obtain .with respect to the two pistons. A rapid movement to flush-level position is thus effected, and no further actuation occurs until the master controller is moved to position H.

To arrest the movement of the operating mechanism atany time during the latter period of operation, it is merely necessary to return the master controller to its intermediate position H. whereby the actuating coils 38 of the off valves are decnergized to re-admit fluid-pressure to the upper end of the cylinder 20 and thereby establish balanced-conditions in the cylinder and maintain the operating mechanism stationary. Further acceleration of the motors may, of course, be effected at the will of the operator by again moving the master controller to its position R. To return the operating mechanism to the position that is shown in the drawing, the master controller is moved backwardly to its initial position L or to its oii' position. whereby both the on and the ofi' valve-actuating coils are dcenergized and the original unbalanced fluid-prose sure conditions obtain in the cylinder 20.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 3 wherein the system shown comprisesa plurality anism OM 'in accordance with the current traversing the motor circuit, as hereinafter described.

The controlling device PK is adapted to normally occupy an off position and has a plurality of operative positions a to e, inclusive, and comprises a main drum-type section MD for governing the main circuits that include the motor and the accelerating resistor, and an auxiliary or interlock drum portion 11) for a purpose to be described in connection with Fig 4,

The operating mechanism 0M comprises a shaft 60 upon whichthe control drum PK is suitably mounted; a pinion member 61 that is secured to the upper end of the shaft 60 and is adapted to mesh with a suitable horizontally-movable rack member 62; a plurality of piston members 63 and 64 that are respectively rigidly and loosely associated with the opposite ends of the rack member 62, and are respectively adapted to operate within cylinders 65 and 66; and an on valve and an off valve thatv are associated with the cylinders 65 and 66, respectively The mechanical connection of the piston.

64: with the rack member 62 is' similar to the resilient lost-motion connection between the piston rods 23 and 25 of Fig. 1; The piston 64 is biased, by the unbalanced fluidconditions alreadydescribed, to the position that is shown in the drawing, wherein the piston engages a shoulder 21 of the cylinder 66 that corresponds to the stop member 21 of the operating mechanism OM. A suitable sleeve member 26 is secured to the inner face of the piston 64 and incloses a suitable helical spring :28 that is adapted ,to operate between the piston 64 and the motion connection between the two pistons is employed to eflect a relatively rapid initial movement of the control drum PKi'rom the ofi position that is shown in the drawing to the initial operative position a. It will be observed that, inasmuch as the control drum occupies its ofi'. position, a secondary break in the circuit is provided by the contact members, thereof, a primary break being supplied by the switch LS. The advantages of such an arrangement of parts have already been explained.

Referring to Fig. 4, the auxiliary governing circuits that are shown comprise the actuating coils of the on and the ofi valves and of the switch LS; the contact members of the interlock drum 1D and the auxiliary contact members of the limit switch L'fand. in addition, a master controller M0 that is adapted to occupy a plurality of operative positions a to e, in-

elusive, the battery B or other suitable source of energy and a plurality of train-' line conductors TL.

Assuming that it is desired to effect acceleration of the electric motor that is shown in Fig. 3, the master controller M0 may be actuated to its initial position 0, wherein one circuit is established from one terminal of the battery B through conductor 80,

control fingers 81 and 82 which are bridged by contact segment 83 of the'master controller, conductor 84, train-line conductor 35, conductor 86. a junction-point 87, where the circuit divides, one branch including conductor 88, the actuating coil 35 of the on valve and conductor 93, and the other branch including conductor 90, the actuating coil of the switch LS and conductor 91, whence a common circuit is completed through conductors 93 and 94 to the negative battery terminal. The on valve-actuating coil being thus energized, the pisten 63 is rapidly moved to the right as far as the associated resilient lost-motion connection willpermit, whereby the control drum PK is actuated to its initial operative position a As soon as the controldrum PK occupies its position a, a main circuit is established from the trolley through conductor 70, switch LS, conductor 71, control fingers 72 and 73 which are bridged by the contact segment 74 of the main drum portion MD, the accelerating resistor AR. conductor 75', armature A field winding F and the actuating coil of the limit switch L to the negative conductor ground.

By moving the master controller to its position Z), a further circuit is completed from the contact segment 83 of the master. controller through control finger 95, conductor 96, train-line conductor 96*, conductor 97, control finger 98, contact segments 99 to 103, inclusive, of the interlock drama eas,

: TD, and control finger 104, conductor 105,

auxiliary contact members 106 of the limit switch L, when occupying its low-current position, and the actuating coil 38 .of the off valve to the negatively-connectedconductor 89. Bothcoils 35 and 38 being thus simultaneously energized, the control drum PK is-actuated to its position b.

' The control drum PK moves forward in a step by-step manner to be described, by reason of the-arrangement of contact members of the interlock drum ID with respect to the master controller contact members, whereby the control drum is positively and reliably brought to rest in the desired posif tion. Just before the control drum reaches position'b' the circuit of the coil 38 of the, od valv'eis broken by the disconnection of control finger 98 and contact segment 99. To continue the operation of the control drum, the master controller is move to its position 0, whereby a circuit is esta lished from the contact segment 83 through control finger 108, conductor 109, train-line conductor 110, conductor 111, control finger 112 of the interlock drum, and thence through contact. segment 100 to the. coil 38, as already described. 1

The operation just recited is repeated as the master controller is actuated through its remaining operative positions, as will be understood. However, the use of such an interlock drum forms no material part of my present invention, except that it per forms a certain function in connection therewith, amino further description of the operation thereof is believed to be necessary. The construction and operation of'such inte'rlock. drums is fully shown and described in my co-pending application, Serialzlto. 796,867, filed October 23, 1913.

The PK control drum is thus intermittently actuated toward its final'operative position 6, whereby the accelerating resistor AB is gradually short-circuited to efi'ect suitable acceleration of the motors.

llf desired, thesystem may be automatie cally governed by the limit switch L after the master controller is initially moved to its final operative postion e, in'. accordance with a familiar practice which need not be described here. In such cases, it will be understood that the PK drum is initially actuated. rapidly to its initial operative posi-.

fore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims. A

I claim as my 1nvent1on:

1. The combination with a movable member, of actuating means therefor comprising an operating cylinder, a pair of movable pistons disposed therein, means for nor-' mally producingmaterially different .fluid pressures on said pistons to bias them to a "predetermined position, means for reversing the unbalanced fluid-pressure conditions to effect normal movements of said member,

and means for permitting an initial move ment of one piston prior to the normal ditions to effect normal movements of said member and means for permitting a relatively rapid initial movement of said other first means for effecting a relatively rapid initial movement of one of said pistons,

4C. The combination with a movable member, of fluid pressure-operated means normallybiascd by unbalanced pressure conditions to a predetermined position, means for reversing the unbalanced action to efiect normal movement of said member, and means for permitting a relatively rapid independent movement of said member before the completion of the reversal.

comprising a cylinder, a plurality of piston members traveling therein, means for normally producing unbalanced-pressure conditions on the outer faces of said piston members to bias said movable members to a predetermined position, means for reversing the unbalanced action to efiect normal 'movement of said member, and means disposed intermediate said piston members for permitting an initial relatively rapid movement of said movable member before the completionof the reversal.

6. The combination with a movable memmer, of an operating mechanism therefor,

comprising a cylinder, a plurality of pistons traveling therein, a plurality of valves for normally producing unbalanced pressure conditions on the outer faces of said plstons 11a .5. The combination with a movable memv ber of an operating mechanism thereforfor normally producing unbalanced fluidpressure conditions on the outer faces of said pistons to bias said movable member to a predetermined position, resilient means disposed intermediate said pistons and acting in a direction to assist the normal fluid-.

pressure unbalance, means for reversing the unbalanced action to effect normal operation of said member, whereby; said resilient means is rapidly compressed and predetermined initial movement of said member is effected before the completion of the fluidpressure reversal.

8. The combination with a movable member, of a fluid-containing memberand an operating device disposed therein havin a plurality of parts acting in unison to e ect normal movements of said member, and a lost-motion connection disposed intermediate said parts to permit initial independent I movements thereof.

9. ,The combination with a movable member, of an operating device comprising a cylinder, a plurality of pistons traveling therein and adapted under normal operating conditions to act inunison, and a resilient lostmotion connection disposed v intermediate said pistons to permit initial independent movement thereof,

10. The combination with a movable mem ber, of an operating mechanism therefor comprising a cylinder, a plurality of pistons traveling therein, a spring member disposed intermediate said pistons acting to bias the first piston and said movable member to a predetermined position, stopping means in said cylinder, means for normally admit ting fluid pressure to a certain end of the cylinder to hold the second piston against said stopping means, and means for admit ting fluid-pressure to the other end of the cylinder and simultaneously allowing the pressure in said certain end to be released, whereby said spring member is compressed and said movable member is rapidly actuated to a predetermined positionbefore the complete release of the fluid-pressure.

11. The combination with a movable member, of fluid-pressure-operated means having one movable part normally biased by unbalanced-pressure conditions to a predetermined position, and means for impressing fluid-pressure upon another movable part to actuate said last named part independently of said first-named movable part. 7

12. The combination with amovable mem ber, of an operating mechanism therefor comprising a cylinder, a plurality of. pistons traveling therein, means for normally producing unbalanced-pressure conditions on the outer faces of said pistons to bias said movable member to a predetermined position, means for initially balancing the pressures on said piston faces, and means for thereupon permitting a relatively rapid actuation of one of said pistons and of the movable member to another predetermined position independently of the other piston.

13. The combination with a fluid-containing cylinder and a plurality of relatively movable pistons adapted tomove therein, of resilient means disposed between said pistons.

14. The combination with a fluid-containing cylinderand a plurality of mechanically associated pistons adapted to move therein, and means acting upon the pistons for permitting relative movement between said pistom.

1 15. Thecombination with a fluid-containing cylinder and a plurality of relatively movable pistons adapted to move therein, of a coil spring interposed between said pistons.

16; The combination with a fluid-containing cylinder. and a plurality of mechanically associated pistons adapted to move therein, of means for permitting relative movement between said pistons, and means for limiting the movement of one of said pistons.

I 17. The combination with a fluid-containing cylinder and a pair of relatively movable pistons disposed therein, of a yield ing mechanical connection between said pistons and a member to be actuated associated with one of said pistons.

18. The combination with a fluid-containing cylinder and a pair of movable pistons disposed therein, of a sleeve member associated with one of said pistons, another member associated with the other piston and projecting within said sleeve member, and a coil spring disposed within said sleeve member and acting upon said other member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of Feb. 1916.

ARTHUR. J. HALL. 

